Tampa Area Fish Stores

[SWerner13]

Hello all,

I live in the Tampa Fl area and was wondering what your opinions were on some Fish store in the area? I have had a few bad experiences and a few good and some in between and was wondering what you recommend?

Also, if you in the area check out Petland on Watersj(I work there), I know a lot of chain stores give bad advice, but I will treat you right and do my best to give good information or walk over to a computer and look it up with you!

Anyways, thanks for any input and I can't wait to get the results, I'm always up for checking out a new store, and I really like not supporting the bad stores lol.

 

[Jayinked]

i don't know of any in your area but if you are in orlando some time there are a few good stores here. World wide Coral off hwy 441 has so many tanks, realy nice corals and LR, I have had nothing but good advise from those guys and they have a cool setup and get you what you are looking for. They have a web sit Worldwidecoral.com

 

[SWerner13]

Cool thanks, I'll check it out the next time i'm over.

 

[minnowman]

i live in temple terrace and theres a small pet store called pet wize on 56 th street by the 56th street bridge that goes over the hillsborough river.they have great advice and have a wide selection of freshwater fish.

 

[Purevil21]

In Lakeland, Studio Aquatics. Beautiful Tanks, one tank has over 25,000 dollars tied up in it. Anything you want they can get, they know my tank better than I do. They remember their customers and the setups they have and won't sell you anything that won't thrive in your system. If you insist on an animal they will show you what exactly you would need to keep the animal responsibly.

 

[EGMono]

In Lakeland, Studio Aquatics. Beautiful Tanks, one tank has over 25,000 dollars tied up in it. Anything you want they can get, they know my tank better than I do. They remember their customers and the setups they have and won't sell you anything that won't thrive in your system. If you insist on an animal they will show you what exactly you would need to keep the animal responsibly.

Good to know! I may live in Hillsborough county, but Lakeland is closer than Tampa... its as if I lived in the city bordering Lakeland.

For a LFS store in Tampa, is Fish World still open? I haven't been there in a few years, but the owner has been running it for 30 years, she's probably running it still.

 

[Purevil21]

I would definitely recommend the drive to Lakeland for studio aquatics. If you in the market for a new tank though, hit up Nolans aquarium superstore. I got a 220 for 1700 bucks. He has nice 120-150 setups for 900 -1100.

 

[kay-bee19]

Some LFS's in Tampa:

(freshwater and saltwater)
Marine Warehouse
Creative Aquariums

Saltwater only:
Fish and Other Ichthy Stuff
Corral Coral

(specializes in African Cichlids)
Living Color (in Pinellas)

A list of other LFS's in the Tampa area:
Tampa Bay Aquarium Society

This place is mail order orientated but allows local pick ups in the Tampa area:
CichlidStore.com - Haps & Peacocks for sale

For a LFS store in Tampa, is Fish World still open? I haven't been there in a few years, but the owner has been running it for 30 years, she's probably running it still.

Kathy closed Fish World a couple of years ago. I wonder what happened to the giant 25+ year old pacu's that were there.

 

[EGMono]

Some LFS's in Tampa:

A list of other LFS's in the Tampa area:
Tampa Bay Aquarium Society

Kathy closed Fish World a couple of years ago. I wonder what happened to the giant 25+ year old pacu's that were there.

That list from TBAS is pretty good. I would skip Budget Pet, unless they've really changed in the few years since i've been there. If you open their door and the "pet shop smell" knocks you backwards, then they have not. I liked Life Oceanic in Gibsonton (but I lived near it at the time) and the store on US41 next to the Gib-town post ofc that sold stuff in fish-farm quantities (nothing a GALLON of Formalyn won't cure lol!)

Sad that Fish World is gone, despite what her daughter said I always envisioned her daughter taking over.